A guide for the Zulu court interpreter

STACK

ANNEX

S
055

, GUIDE FOR THE

ZULU
JOURT INTERPRETER

C. }. RUDOLPH

A GUIDE FOR THE ZULU COURT INTERPRETER

A GUIDE FOR THE

ZULU
COURT INTERPRETER

By
C. J. RUDOLPH

PI ETE RM ARITZ BU RG
SHUTER & SHOOTER

CONTENTS
Chapter Page

Preface . . . . . . . . . . vii

I A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter . . 1

II Evidence . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

III Asking Questions . . . . . . . . 6

IV Some of the Words and Terms used in Court . . 9

Crimes . . . . . . . . 16

V The Native Kraal 19

Zulu Terms of Relationship . . . . 26

VI Colours of Cattle . . . . 30

Cattle diseases . . . . . . . . 36

Colours of Horses . . . . . . . . 37

Horse Sicknesses . . . . . . . . 38

Colours of Goats . . . . . . . . 38

Common ear-marks . . . . 39

VII Common Human Diseases . . . . . . 39

Bones of the Body 42

Parts of the Body 44

Internal Organs . . . . . . 46

Injuries . . . . . . . . 47

Fractures . . . . . . . . . . 47

VIII Seasons in Zulu 48

Divisions of Summer . . . . . . 48

Phases of the Moon . . . . . . 49

Thirteen Moons . . . . . . . . 50

Periods of Time . . . .' . . . . 54

IX Agricultural Terms . . . . . . . . 56

X Glossary of Zulu Forms of Greeting and

Salutation . . . . . . . . . . 59

XI Useful List of Words .. 61

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A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter vii

PREFACE

This booklet has been written with a view to supplying
what is believed to have been a long-felt need for the Court
Interpreter, and more especially the very junior one who has
just entered upon the threshold of his career.

In presenting to junior and even to more experienced
interpreters the facts outlined within the narrow limits of
this booklet, I wish to point out that I do not pose as a
fully-fledged authority on the wide and complicated subject
with which it deals. My object is, however, to render in-
valuable assistance by placing on record such information
as must frequently be referred to Zulu Interpreters in Courts
of Law, and thereby to evoke a livelier interest in the study
of Zulu terminology among those whose vocation it may be to
become Court Interpreters. It will therefore be appreciated
that the facts and information contained in this booklet
should be of invaluable assistance to my fellow-interpreters.

While endeavouring to conform to conciseness and
clarity of content, the latter has not been sacrificed for
brevity. It nevertheless must be admitted that no one is
more conscious of the limitations and the apparent defi-
ciencies of this work, than the author. I have had to omit
much that I should have liked to include within these narrow
limits, but the reader should garner useful and valuable
information from the various and varied references contained
in this booklet, which purposes to be mainly a work of
reference. In a more direct way, it is meant to foster an
ambition among the aspirant interpreter that will beget a
desire for research into the intricacies of his everyday work.
Such were the genuine motives that inspired the writer.

The author tenders his grateful acknowledgments to

viii A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Mr. S. R. Dent, Chief Inspector of Native Education in
Natal, and to the editors of the Native Teachers' Journal
for permission to include in this work the Glossary of the
Zulu form of Salutations and Greetings.

With the permission of Professor C. M. Doke, and Messrs.
Longmans, Green & Co. Ltd., and the E. P. & Commercial
Printing Co. Ltd., some Zulu terms of relationship and
periods of time, and- words appertaining to the Native Kraal
have been included in this booklet.

To other authorities and to friends for their assistance
in other ways, my appreciation is likewise tendered.

C.J.R.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

CHAPTER I

A Court Interpreter is an important official in the trial
of cases in a Court of Law. As the pivot of the Court, he
bears a heavy responsibility in the administration of justice,
and upon him depends to a great degree the proper elucida-
tion of the issues as well as the avoidance of miscarriage of
justice. This is especially the case where the Bench, the
Public Prosecutor and the Side Bar are not conversant with
both the languages used in the proceedings.

Interpreting is not the mere translation of words from
one language into the other, but it requires the ability on
the part of the interpreter to convey the right meaning of
what he interprets. It follows, therefore, that for one to
qualify as a useful and competent interpreter, he must be
equipped with an extensive vocabulary in the languages
required.

In addition to the above-mentioned qualities, the closest
study and acquisition of a sound knowledge of the people's
manner of thought, reasoning and expression are necessary,
in a word, their psychology and traditions. Especially is
this desirable with the Zulu language, a language which,
frequently, has words with two or more different meanings,
a difference in tone being the only distinguishing feature,
e.g., umBala (colour), umBala (shin bone) ; inyanga (native
doctor), inyanga (moon) ; umhlaBa (earth), umhlaBa (aloe) ;
sinda (smear), sinda (escape, recover from illness), sinda (to
be heavy as a weight) ; shisa (burn, be hot), shisa (iron
or press), shisa (be unbearable, severe).

Last, but not least, an interpreter must be sympathetic.
I say so because it will be observed that a very big percentage
of Native witnesses when called to go into the witness-box,
are seized or overcome by a certain amount of nervousness,

2 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

especially the raw type of Native who has never before beer,
in a Court of Law.

Under such circumstances, the interpreter must en-
deavour to make the witness feel " at home " in the witness-
box. This can be done by passing a few private remarks to
the witness after the oath has been administered, and before
the evidence is led, e.g., " Try to forget that you are in the
witness-box and speak to me as though in an ordinary con-
versation ; there is nothing to be afraid of, the "Mantshi
is a good man," etc. In this way a big percentage of nervous-
ness is expelled from the witness.

The following is an outline of procedure in a Criminal
action.

Pleas by an accused person on arraignment.

In a Criminal case the Presiding Magistrate, the Public
Prosecutor or the Interpreter reads out the indictment to
the accused person. This done, the accused is asked, through
the interpreter, what he pleads, thus :

" Are you guilty or not guilty of the charge preferred
against you ? "

" Uyalivuma noma uyaliphika icala oBekwe lona ? "

This interpretation is correct, but it unfortunately
creates a puzzle in the mind of a raw Native person for the
following reasons :

1. The Native's own court asks no such questions.

2. While European Law presumes an accused person to be
innocent until he is proved to be guilty, in Native Law
he is presumed to be guilty until he has established his
innocence.

The accused Native reasons thus It is not my duty to
declare my guilt or innocence, but it is for the court to do so
after having heard mine and my witnesses' evidence as
against that of the complainant and his witnesses.

Consequently such pleas as the following are not un-
common in the trial of Natives for criminal acts, viz. :

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 3

1 . I am guilty, yet I am not completely guilty.
Ngiyalivuma kodwa angilivumi kahle.

2. Let the Court decide.

Inkantolo ayizi6onele OR Inkosi ayiziBonele.
3 I do not know Angazi.

1 "I am guilty, yet I am not completely guilty," may mean

(a) I did it through being forced, through ignorance,
through being misled or under provocation.

(b) I am guilty because an inmate of my kraal did it.

(c) I know something about the crime, but I did not
commit it.

2. " Let the Court decide," means :

The law presumes that I am guilty because I have been
brought to court and charged.

3. " I do not know," the same meaning as 2.

As a result of the above pleas, the Courts usually record
one of " Not Guilty." As will be shown later, a competent
interpreter can obviate this state of affairs and succeed with
the least difficulty in eliciting the proper plea from the
accused person without any waste of time.

To prevent the occurrence of the above and similar
meaningless pleas, which doubtless reveal an ignorance of
Court procedure on the part of the accused Native, the
interpreter should put the question in the following manner,
e.g. Stock Theft Case Theft of a Sheep.

" Uyalivuma noma uyaliphika yini icala ? " ,

" Do you admit or deny the charge ? "
OR, better still

" UyeBile yini noma awuyeBanga imvu na ? "

" Did you steal the sheep or did you not ? "

The Court is now assured of getting the proper plea,
for even if the accused Native gives the thieves' favourite
expression of "Kuthiwa ngiyiyeBile" "It is said I have stolen
it," that expression means, " Not guilty."

4 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

There are cases, too, where a miscarriage of justice may
result, for example :

1. A Native is charged, say, with assault by hitting " A "
on the head with a stick. The interpreter informs
accused that he is charged with hitting " A " on the head
with a stick, and asks the accused, " Did you hit the
complainant on the head with a stick ? " and accused
will reply, " Yes."

The interpreter informs the Court that accused pleads
guilty to the charge, and accused is found guilty and sen-
tenced. Very frequently in such cases, the accused, while
admitting that he hit " A " on the head with a stick, does
not intend to plead guilty at all, for he would like to go on
and plead, " I did it in self-defence, after " A " had assaulted
me," in which case, of course, the correct plea is " Not
guilty," and the Court will thereupon try out the issue of
" self-defence," or the circumstances of mitigation.

2. In the same way an accused charged with deserting from
his Master's service, is asked, " Did you leave your
Master's service on Saturday ? " to which the accused
will reply " I did," without meaning in any way to plead
guilty to the charge, yet the inexperienced interpreter
will inform the Court that the accused pleads guilty to
the charge, whereas in reality the accused has really
only replied correctly to the question, " Did you leave
your Master's service on Saturday ? "

Actually, accused did leave his Master's service on
Saturday, not with the intention of deserting at all, and in
circumstances not amounting to desertion. It is evident,
therefore, that the interpreter bears a heavy responsibility,
otherwise a gross miscarriage of justice may result. His respon-
sibility lies in getting a correct plea from the accused, and if
the accused qualifies his plea in any way, then the correct
plea is, " Not guilty."

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 5

CHAPTER II
Evidence

Assuming that the person charged is a Native and the
witnesses giving evidence against the accused are also
Natives, the interpreter should see to it, during the making
of the declarations by the various witnesses against the
accused, that every tittle of evidence is interpreted, to enable
the Court to appreciate all the points mentioned by the
witnesses. He should treat every utterance as absolutely
necessary for interpretation, irrespective of how foolish or
how ignorant it may appear to be, and guard against the
witnesses speaking in low tones and thus avoid the danger
of omitting facts which are vital to the issue.

The interpreter should never hesitate to draw the
attention of the Court to his own inability to interpret words,
phrases or sentences through any misconception or ignorance.
He should never " chance his arm," as that may be detri-
mental to the accused's or the Crown case, and mislead the
Court if unnoticed. The interpreter should always remember
to

1 . Listen carefully to what is said and be sure that he him-
self fully understands before he attempts to translate.

2. Speak clearly and distinctly.

3. Keep his attention on the work in hand and avoid
day-dreaming.

4. Avoid loss of temper, or becoming impatient.

5. Be prepared to learn new words in the vernacular, as
well as in Zulu.

As the mouth-piece of the person for whom one is
interpreting, the interpreter should always speak in the
First Person, thus :

Magistrate Interpreter

" I find you guilty." fNgiyakulahla \Ulahlwayicala.
" I find you not guilty." \Ngiyakuthetha / Uthetwa yicala.

6 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

NOT,

" Ithi iMantshi icala liyakulahla OR icala liyakuthetha"

On the other hand again, if the witnesses in a Criminal
action against a Native accused person are not Natives, and
their evidence is given in a language which is not understood
by the accused, the interpreter should see to it that every
tittle of evidence is interpreted to the accused, to enable him
to appreciate all the points mentioned by the witnesses.

CHAPTER III
Asking Questions

This being another important part of the proceedings in
a Criminal action, particularly where Natives are concerned,
the interpreter should endeavour to prove his usefulness.
Through using a literal translation of, " Have you any
questions to ask the witness upon the evidence he has given ?"
The time of the Court is usually wasted for obvious reasons.
It must be remembered that the Native is a stranger to the
procedure. If he is asked the question, he will signify his
desire to do so, and when asked to go on, will commence
making a statement. To prevent this, and to save time in
Court, the interpreter should turn the statement into a
question, thus :

Accused Interpreter

Uyazi ukuthi ngangisejele You know that I was in gaol
ukweSiwa kwayo imvu. when the sheep was stolen.

Should be interpreted as follows :

UBungazi yini ukuthi Do you not know that when the
ngangiBoshiwe ngisejele, sheep was stolen I was serv-
ukwe6iwa kwayo imvu ? ing a term of imprisonment ?

No time of the Court can possibly be wasted, nor can
there be any prejudice to the accused's case, if the inter-

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 7

preter ably turns statements made unnecessarily and through
ignorance, into questions. In doing so he should, however,
take the greatest care not to put the words into the witness's
mouth, or in any way suggest an answer.

It sometimes happens that because a question is inter-
preted literally, and the accused Native is unable to grasp
the idea of asking questions, that when ultimately he is
asked if he has a statement to make, will reply, " I have
nothing further to say." Why is this ? The accused after
cross-examining or " contradicting " a witness, is evidently
under the -impression that his questions or "statements"
amount to his evidence, and when eventually asked whether
he wishes to give evidence or make a statement, he will reply
" I have nothing further to say," whereas, in fact, nothing
which he has previously said has been recorded. Accused is
found guilty and sentenced. The interpreter should have
informed the accused that his evidence or statements have
not been recorded and that he now has the opportunity of
telling the Court his version of the story, and that as the
witnesses have given their evidence on oath, it is advisable
for him to do so also, and not merely make an unsworn
statement from the dock.

The difference between his evidence on oath from the
witness-box, and a mere unsworn statement from the dock
is seldom appreciated by a Native. It is necessary to impress
this difference upon an accused before asking him to elect
whether he wishes to make a sworn statement from the
witness-box or an unsworn statement from the dock, other-
wise he will not appreciate that the Court cannot accept an
unsworn statement in contradiction of the sworn evidence
of a witness.

Then again, it is common practice for Native accused
persons, when asked if they have any questions to ask, to
reply, " Anginawo umBuzo." " I have no question to ask."
The Court naturally concludes, and it is justified in doing so,

8 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

that the accused admits the correctness of the witnesses s
evidence, and yet in the majority of cases it is the other way
about. This usually is made manifest by the outburst of the
accused when asked to make a statement if he has any, thus :

" Ngiyamphikisa usi6ani6ani kuwo wonke amazwi
akheakalikhulumi iqiniso."

" I contradict the whole of so-and-so's evidence, he has
not told the truth."

Then the Court wonders why he did not ask any
questions when invited to do so.

The following two ways of asking the accused person
if he has any questions to ask the witness, are suggested :

1. " Uyawavuma noma uyawaphika yini amazwi alandwe
ngufakazi ngawe ? "

" Do you admit or deny the statement made by the

witness about you ? "

The accused is bound to state either " I deny " or "I
admit it." If the former, then the interpreter should proceed
and say, " Speak to him, or argue with him." The accused
will commence asking questions without being specifically
told to do so. If the latter, it of course, means no questions.

OR

2. "Kukhona yini ufakazi akushilo ofuna ukukuphikisa,
noma okungesilo iqiniso ?"

" Is there anything which the witness has stated which
you wish to contradict, or which is not true ? "
Accused will then readily raise the necessary points,
but, in doing so, he will generally not ask a question of the
witness, but will state " I deny so-and-so." The interpreter
should then put the point to the witness in the form of a
question, " Did you do so-and-so ? " or " Did such and such
a thing occur ? "

It is absolutely necessary in the interests of justice that
the interpreter should be very experienced in Court procedure
and have some legal knowledge. Many questions cannot be

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 9

asked in leading form by, say, a Prosecutor, and he has to
approach the subject delicately, yet the inexperienced
interpreter will " barge in " and put the question in a leading
form to the witness.

CHAPTER IV
Some of the Words and Terms used in Court

I will read out the indict- N gizakufundela amazwi ecala

ment to you. oliBekiwe.

You did wrongfully, unlaw- Wena, wonile ngoku6eka isa-

fully and maliciously ndla ngaphandle komthe-

assault .... tho nangokusopha ....

By striking him on the head, Ngokumshaya ekhanda nge-

with a stick. nduku.

What do you plead ? Uphendula uthini ngecala ?

Do you plead guilty or not Uyalivuma noma uyaliphika

guilty ? icala ?

I plead guilty. Ngiyalivuma.

I plead not guilty. Ngiyaliphika.

To kill and murder. Uku6ulala-nje nokuBulala nge-

nhloso.

Note " To murder " is also translated " ukuBulala " but
the correct translation of the word is " ukuBulala ngenhloso."

The following are other meanings of the verb " uku-
Bulala " :

1. UkuBulala. To lay some heavy weight

upon a person's body, or
part of it.

2. UkuBulala. To adduce evidence against

another.

3. UkuBulala. To side with one's opponents.

4. UkuBulala. To convict upon weak evi-

dence.

10

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

UkuBulala (ngensini}.
UkuBulala (ngendlala).
UkuziBulala.
UkuziBulala.

5. UkuBulala. To unjustifiably deprive one

of his belongings.

To make one laugh.

To starve a person or animal.

To commit suicide.

To stint one's self food ; to
eat too little. To act in a
manner detrimental to
oneself.

To ill-treat or oppress.

Uyavuma ukuBa icala lithe-
thwe ngaphandle kweSa-
maniso eliphethe amazwi
ecala othweswe lona ?
OR,
Do you wish the case to be Noma ufuna ukuBa lihlehliswe

10.. UkuBulala.
Do you consent to a
summary trial ?

adjourned, a Summons
to be handed to you,
and you be given an
opportunity to prepare
your defence and collect
your witnesses ?

Oath of a Heathen

Put up your right hand.

Take the oath and say, OR

Follow me and say the words
I say.

I swear that the evidence I
am about to give in this
case, shall be the truth,
the whole truth, and
nothing but the truth ;
and I know that if I

tifakwe iSamaniso (eli-
phethe amazwi ecala}, uni-
kwe ithuBa lokuzivikela,
ulethe nofakazi Bakho na ?

Ukufungiswa kongeyilo
Ikholwa

Misa isandla sokudla.

Funga uthi.

Landela lokhu engizokiisho.

Ngiyafunga ukuBa amazwi-
engizakuwakhuluma kule-
licala azokuBa iqiniso, iqi-
niso eliphelele, iqiniso
elilodwa ; ngiyazi okokuthi
uma ngike ngakhuluma

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 11

speak falsely I may be amanga ngingajeziswa

severely punished. kanzima.

Oath of a Christian.

The whole of the heathen oath is to be repeated to the
end of " elilodwa " and " ngelekelele Thixo ", be added.
The Prosecutor withdraws Umshushisi uyalihoxisa icala

the charge against you. kuwe.

Your case is remanded. Icala lakho liyahlehliswa.

Guilty. . Liyakulahla.

Not Guilty. Liyakuvuma.

Sentence. Isijeziso.

Verdict. Isinqumo.

Suspended Sentence.

As no such sentence exists in Native Law, it is better
explained than interpreted. The following are two examples
of a suspended sentence :

Example No. 1

I fine you 20 or three Ngikuhlawulisa 20 noma,
months imprisonment ufanele uBoshwe izinyanga

with hard labour, sus- ezintathu nomseSenzi onzi-

pended for 12 months, ma. Lenhlawulo izoku-

on condition of good linda izinyanga ezi 12,

behaviour during that utna uziphethe kahle kuso

period. sonke lesosikhathi ; iyoSe

ihoxisiwe.

Example No. 2

I fine you 20 or three Ngikuhlawulisa 20 noma, ufa-

months imprisonment nele uBoshwe izinyanga

with hard labour, of ezintathu nomse6enzi onzi-

which 10 or 6 weeks is ma. Kulemali ishumi

suspended for 12 lawopondwe noma isithu-

months, on condition pha samasonto kuzoku-

that you do not commit linda izinyanga ezi 12

12

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

any crime involving
violence during that
period.

Warning to Prisoner
before he gives evidence.

Do you desire to give evi-
dence ? You may give
evidence on oath or
without taking the oath.
If you elect to give evi-
dence after having been
sworn, you will be ques-
tioned like other wit-
nesses, and you are to
answer all the questions
put to you by the Prose-
cutor and the Magis-
trate, even if your reply
brings out evidence that
is against you, you must
reply. If you give evi-
dence without having
been sworn, no questions
will be asked from you,
but the evidence you
give without having
been sworn will not be
of such weight as the
evidence which may be
given on oath.

kuhoxisiwe. Uma unge-
nzanga isiphosiso soBu-
dlwangu kuso sonke leso-
sikhathi.

Ukuxwayiswa kwesi-
6oshwa singakafakazi.

Unesifiso sokufakaza na ? Nxa
uthanda uzofungiswa nxa
ungathandi qha. Emva
kwalokho uzokuBuzwa nje-
ngofakazi aBanye, uwa-
phendule onke amazwi
owa6uzwa umShushisi ne-
Mantshi, noma impendulo
yakho iveza amazwi ala-
hlana nawe, umelwe uku-
phendula. Uma ulanda
ungafungisiwe, awuyuku-
Buzwa lutho, kodwa ama-
zwi, owalanda ungafungi-
siwe akayukuBa nesisindo
njengamazwi angalandwa
ufungisiwe.

Do

you desire
evidence ?

to give Uyafuna ukufakaza na ?

A Guide for the Zulu Court interpreter

Do you desire to give evi-
dence on oath or with-
out the oath ?

Do you desire to give evi-
dence in the place where
witnesses give evidence
or where you are stand-
ing ?

If you give evidence without
being sworn no one can
examine you, not even
your lawyer.

You have been found guilty
of murder, for the
reasons which you have
heard, and you have
also heard that the
Court has been unable
to find extenuating cir-
cumstances which would
have enabled it to pass
a sentence other than
death. Have you any-
thing to say why the
death sentence should
not be passed upon you
(have you anything to
say why the sentence
which I am now con-
strained to pass should
not be pronounced).
The record of these pro-
ceedings, together with
anything you may now
say, shall be transmitted

Ufuna ukufakaza ufungisiwe
noma ungafimgisiwe nal

Ufuna ukufakaza lapho kulan-
da khona ofakazi aBanye
na ? Noma khona lapho
umikhona na ?

Uma ufakaza ungafungisiwe
kakho ongakuBuza lutho,
ngisho nommeli wakho.

Ulahliwe yicala lokuBulala
umuntu ngokungemthetho ,
umhlosile, uqondile uku-
mBulala, ngezizathu ozi-
zwile nawe, uzwile ngo-
kuthi iNkantolo (ama-
Khosi, amajaji] yahlu-
lekile ukukuBonelela ngco-
no kulelicala uku6a aku-
Bekele isijeziso esinye ku-
nokuBa unqunywe ufe.
Izincwadi zonke zalelicala
zizothunyelwa kuSiBalu-
khulu kanye nokungakhu-
lunywa nguwe manje,
indaBa yethulwe kuye
ukuze kuhambe ngaye
(ngokusho kwakhe). Una-
kho ongakusho ngokuthi
kungani ukuBa ungaBeke-
Iwa isijeziso sokunqu-
nywa ?

14 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

to His Excellency the
Governor-General, with
whom the final decision
shall lie.

The sentence of the Court
is that you be returned
to lawful custody and
there detained until a
time to be determined
by His Excellency the
Governor-General, and
that you then be taken
to a place of execution
and there hanged by the
neck until you are dead.

Preparatory examination
Caution.

As you have heard the evi-
dence of the witnesses,
do you desire to give
your evidence now ?
You need not if you do
not desire ; if anything
has been promised you,
by reason of your giving
evidence, or punishment
by reason of your not
giving evidence, don't
pay any heed to it.

What you state will be
written and will be evi-
dence on the day of
trial.

Isijeziso saseNkantolo singe-
sokuthi uyophindiselwa
ejele, ugcinwe ngomthetho
lapho, kuze kufike isi-
khathi esizoBonwa nguSi-
Balukhulu, laphoke uyo-
yiswa kwalahla6antu ufike
uphanyekwe ngentamo
yakho, ulenge uze ufe nya.

Ukuxwayiswa mayelana
nokuhlolwa kwecala.

Njengoku6a usuwezwile ama-
zwi awofakazi uyafuna
ukunika oBakho uBitfakazi
manje na ? AwuBoshiwe
ukulanda uma ungatha-
ndi ; uma ikhona into
othenjiswe yona ngoku-
landa kwakho akukho
ngozi uma ungalandi,
futhi awunakiijeziswa uma
ungalandi. Konke kuBeke
eceleni wenze okuqondwe

nguwe luqoBo. Okukhuhi-
mayo kolotshwa kuBe uBu-
fakazi mhla sekuthethwa
icala.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

15

I reserve my defence.

I desire to give evidence now.

Do you desire to question
him ?

Question, do not make a
statement. The time for
giving evidence will
come.

I understand that you wish
to make a confession.

The statement you wish to
make must be done
freely and voluntarily
without having been
influenced thereto, and
I must warn you that
you are not obliged to
make a statement, but
any statement which
you wish to make will
be reduced to writing
and may be used in
evidence against you at
your trial.

The foregoing statement was
made to me by the said

who was then

and there in his sound
and sober senses, and
after it was recorded the
statement was read over
and interpreted to

and adhered

to and signed by him
before me.

Ngolanda phambili.
Ngithanda ukulanda manje.
Uyathanda ukumBuza na ?

Euza, ungalandi, sofika isi-
khathi sokulanda.

Ngizwa ukuthi uthanda uku-
khipha isiftiBa sakho.

Amazwi ofisa ukuwalanda ku-
melwe uwalande ngenkulu-
leko nangokuzithandela
kwakho, futhi angikuyale
ukuthi awuSophekile uku-
landa lutho ; kodwa ama-
zwi ofisa ukuwakhuluma
azolotshwa phansi, futhi
funa aphenduke uBufakazi
o6uphikisana nawe ecaleni

Lamazwi alandwa ngasenhla
akhulunywe phambi kwa-

tni nguye u..

uqoBo, ngalesosikhathi
ingqondo yakhe iphelele,
kwathi ngemuva kokuBa
eselotshiwe atnazwi, wawa-
fundelwa yena wavuma
okuthi yiwona awakhe
impela wawaBekela isa-
ndla phambi kwami.

16

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

LEGAL EXPRESSIONS
(Criminal)

Attorney-General.

Attorney-General declines to
prosecute.

Attorney-General has

decided upon indicting.

Preparatory Examination.

Remitted by Attorney-
General under ordinary
Jurisdiction.

Case sent for review.

Case remitted by Attorney-
General for further
evidence.

umChazimthetho .
umChazimthetho ulichithile

icala.
Ulidlulisel-a phambili ejajini

umChazimthetho.
Ukuhlolwa kwecala.
umChazimthetho uli6uyisele

icala ukuBa lizothethwa

yiMantshi ilinqume.
Lisathunyelwe ukuyohlolwa

ijaji.
umChazimthetho uliBuyisele

icala ukuBa kuzogcwaliswa

uBufakazi.

CRIMES-

Abortion.

Accessory after the fact.

Accidental Homicide.

Agitator.

Arson.

Assault with intent to do

grievous bodily harm.
Assault with intent to rape.

Attempted Rape.

Attempting Suicide.
Behave riotously.
Bestiality.

AM AC ALA

tikuphum'isisu.
ukuphathelana nesono OR

ukuphatheka esonweni.
ukuBulala umuntu kunga-

qondiwe.
idungaBantu.
ukushis' indlu nga6omu.
ukudlwengula kokulimaza.

ukumdlwengula ngokulinga

ukuphoqa.
ukulinga ukuphoqa owesifa-

zane.

ukulinga ukuziBulala.
ukwenza uBudlwangudlwangu.
u6ulwane.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

17

Bigamy.

Bribe.

Commit a breach of the

peace.
Commutation of Sentence

of Death.
'Conspiracy.
Conspire against.

Conspiring to defeat the ends

of Justice.
Criminal injuria.
Cruelty to animals.

Culpable Homicide.
Drive negligently.

Drunkenness.

Entice.

Extortion.

Fabricating evidence.

False pretences.

Fraudulently.

Harbour a Criminal required
by the law.

Hearsay evidence.

High Treason.

Hindering or interfering
with the police in the
execution of their duty.

Homicide.

House-breaking.

House-breaking and Theft.

Ignorance of law.

ukushadakaBili .
ukuthenga.
ukudunga ukuthula.

isinciphiso sesijeziso sokufa.

ugo6e OR isigungu.
nkwenzela isigungu ; ukuha-

mbela ngaphansi.
ukuBopha ingalo yomthetho.

ukwenzela amanyala.

ukuphatha impahla efuyiwe
ngonya.

ukuBulala ingekho inhloso.

ukushayela ngokungaqapheli,
OR ukuhambisa ngokun-
gaqapheli.

ukudakwa.

ukuwunga.

ukuthatha imali ngoBuqili.

ukuxova uBufakazi.

amaceBo okuwanqa.

ngoBuwaka.

ukufihla isigeBengu esinecala.

amazwi okutshelwa.
ukugwaz'inkosi.
ukuthikimeza amaphoyisa eku-
qhuBeni umseBenzi wawo.

ukuBulala ngengozi.
ukugqekeza.
ukugqekeza nokweBa.
ukungawazi umthetho.

18 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Illicit intercourse. ukuphinga.

Impersonation. ukuziBiza ngomunye.

Incest. ukulala umzalwane.

Incite. ukuqhuqhutela.

Indecent assault. iikudlwengula kokuphoxa.

Insanity. ukuphamBana kwengqondo.

Judgment is reserved. isinqumo siBekelwe amazolo.

Justifiable homicide. ukuBulala umuntu okufanele.

Kill accidentally. ukuBulala ngengozi.

Kill in self-defence. ukuBulala ngokuzilamulela.

Maliciously. ngokusopha.

Murder. ukuBulala ngenhloso.

Murderer. umBulali.

Perjury. ukufunga amanga.

Plot secretly conspire. ukuhamba ngaphansi.

Procure abortion. ukukhip'isisu.

Rape. ukuphoqa owesifazane.

Ravish ; seduce. ukona ; ukumekezisa.

Riot or faction fight. uchuku.

Riotous behaviour or conduct. uBudlwangudlwangu.

Riotous person. isidlwangudlwangu.

Rob or robbery. ukuphanga.

Set aside a judgment. ukuphengula ukunquny wa kwe-

cala.

Solitary confinement. ukuvalelwa wedwana.

Subornation of Perjury. ukufungisa amanga.

Theft by conversion. uBusela ngokuzenza umnininto.

. Theft by false pretences. ukuthatha into ngamanga.

Theft of stock. ukweBa impahla efuyiwe.

Treat leniently. ukuBonelela.

Trespass. ukona.

Use obscene language. ukubina.

Vagrancy. ukuzula.

Violence. indluzula.

Weight of evidence. indikimba yoBufakazi.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 19

CHAPTER V
THE NATIVE KRAAL

(a) Sub-divisions.

(b) Inmates.

(c) Appurtenances.

Most of the information appearing in the subjoined
statement has been obtained from R. C. Samuelson's Zulu
King Cetywayo Dictionary, page 636, and the Native Teachers'
Journal, Natal, (Vol. XXIII, No. 3 of April, 1944).

iBeshu

imBiza
uBoko

iBungu
iBungwana
isiCaBa OR isiValo

isiCamelo
iCansi (ucansi}

uCelemba
isiCongo (isiqongo]

that part of the male's " umutsha "
hanging behind when it consists
of a single piece of leather. It is
generally broad and long and is
used for sitting on while worn.

cooking pot also used for keeping
beer in.

long, thick stick, used for defence when
fighting.

boy 17 or 18 years of age.

boy 15 to 16 years of age.

door itself which is used to close the
opening.

wooden pillow.

sleeping mat ("icansi" as pronounced
up country and " ucansi " as
pronounced in the Coast and
Zululand.)

Cane knife.

projecting tuft on the centre of the
hut-top, formed by the ends of
the thatch of the hut being brought
firmly together and very firmly
tied together to prevent leakage.

20 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreted

umDlela shield third in size after the " isi-

hlangu " ; about two by one and

a half feet.

izinDluBu jugo-beans.

liDondolo walking-stick.

u Donga wall ; also a deep water- wash.

N.B. " Iwendlu " has to follow and

be used with udonga to express

the wall of a house, e.g., udonga

Iwendlu.

izinDumba cow-peas.

uDum6edum6e kind of Native potato.

isiDwaba Native woman's leather kilt.

umFana boy ; a youth.

iGceke open ground inside or outside the kraal,

when it is clear of grass.
isaGila knobkerrie with a rough and natural

head or knob, mostly used to hunt

birds and small game.

iGotshwa folding knife (clasp-knife).

isiGqiki wooden stool.

isiGubu calabash.

iGula calabash for preparing and keeping

" amasi " in.
umGulugulu entrance part of the doorway ; the

space between the doorway and

the fireplace.
iGuma semi-circular screen erected round the

front of the doorway, to keep out

winds and dust. Wind-screen.
iHawu much smaller fighting shield, not for

warfare, but for ordinary fighting

with sticks.
N.B. Some Natives call the large

shield an " ihawu" .

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

uHlangothi lonmzi

isiHlangu

isijula

uKhamba

iKhehla

iKhohlo (iKhohlwa)

umKhonto
umKhwili

iKlwa

izinKoBe
inKosana

inKosazana

inKosikazi

iLnwu

side of a kraal.

large battle shield.

assegai for game, having a fair-sized,
narrowish blade, and a long shaft.

clay-pot. Earthenware pot for drinking
beer out of.

man of 40 years and over.

left hand senior house of a kraal ; also
applied to the woman herself, and
to her hut ; she is, as a rule, the
second married wife of a man ;
the hut stands near the top of the
left hand side of the kraal, judged
by standing at the gate of the kraal
and facing the " indlunkulu ".

assegai.

ground-nut ; the " izindluBu ", when
boiled with their shells.

large, long-bladed stabbing assegai,
used for warfare.

Boiled mealies.

eldest or chief son of a man or the
eldest son of any division of the
kraal.

chief daughter ; or the eldest daughter
of each hut, or used for sake of
respect, to refer to any young
unmarried woman.

chief wife of a Native or the chief
woman of any division of the
kraal ; also applied to any of the
wives of a man.

young unmarried man's hut ; also
used by young boys and by
visitors.

22 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

isiLili floor of a hut, more especially that

part used for sleeping purposes.
A Native hut has two sides, i.e.,
" isilili somfazi " and " isilili se-
ndoda " . " isiLili somfazi " is
on the left hand side of the hut
and belongs to the woman. " isi-
Lili sendoda " is on the right hand
side of the hut and belongs to the
man . A female does not sit on the
male's side of the hut and the
male does not sit on the female's
side. A male will go on to the
female's side only to fetch some-
thing, but will not remain there.

isaLukazi old woman.

isiLuht large receptacle of grass, plaited and

narrowed at the mouth and used
for holding grain.

iMbenge small basket.

iNdlunkulu " great house " the chief house in a

kraal ; from it the other houses
take their position and with its
affiliated houses it forms the
" indlunkulu " section of the kraal.

isiNene part of a male's " umutsha ", consisting

of various pieces of skin cut into
and twisted so as to afford a
covering.

iNgod^lsi young woman when she has had every-

thing arranged for her marriage,
and the only thing remaining to
make her a wife being the marriage
ceremony.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

23

iNjoBo
iNkehli

iNqoloBane (ingoBo]

iNsaBule
iNsika

iNsizwa

iNtombazana
iNtombi

amaNtongomane
iNtshengula

umNumzana

iNxiwa

umNyango

uPhahla

isiPhapha

isiPhenama

i Qadi

one of the various pieces making up the
" umutsha " all of which are fixed
onto an " isiphenama ".

girl who has put on the top-knot pre-
paratory to being married, ages
from 21 upwards.

grain hut erected on a platform called
" uBamba ".

sword.

main upright pole used in a hut to
support its roof.

adult male from about 20 and upward,
until he becomes 40 years of age.

girl.

adult girl up to when she is married,
when she becomes " umfazi ".

monkey-nuts.

small spoon made out of bone or horn
and used for snuffing and for
cleaning out the nostrils.

kraalhead ; the owner of a kraal ;
also used to apply to a person
who has some wealth, or to a
person of high standing.

old as well as a new kraal site.

door opening, i.e., the doorway.

roof.

broad-bladed assegai.

roll of leather on to which the various
parts forming the " umutsha "
are fixed.

right hand senior house of a kraal ;
the hut stands on the right hand
side of the kraal, towards the top
thereof, as judged by standing at

24 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

the gate of the kraal and facing
the " indlunkulu ".

u Qwembe large wooden dish for holding meat.

umSamo back part of a hut (within).

umSele place at the back part of the kraal-

head's side of a hut, where the
calabashes are kept.

umShiza thick straight stick for fighting.

iShungu snuff-box, also called " idlelo ".

iThala shelf at the back of the hut. Food that

is left over from a meal is placed
on this shelf.

uThango fence ; a hedge (any fence grown or

erected).

isiTheBe article of plaited grass or fibre used as

a platter on which to place and
cut cooked meat and solid foods.

uThingo long wattle, which, with many others,

is used to form the frame-work
of a hut.

iThombe place at the back part of the woman's

side of a hut, with a raised rim
all round, and within which calves
sleep at night.

umuTsha the whole of the front and back of a

male's as well as an unmarried
woman's wearing apparel, which
is suspended round the loins and
hangs down to cover the privates.

iTshitshi girl in her teens (intombazana esaphuma

amaBele] .

uTshumentshu sword-stick.

(inTshumentshu)

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

25

iVovo (ihluzo)

iWisa

iXhegu

iXhiSa

isiZa
isiZenze
iZiko
isiZinda

strainer for straining off liquids from
solids ; strainer for straining and
preparing beer.

knobkerrie, specially cut and made.

an old man over 70 years of age.

roughly made hut for cooking, or for
keeping small animals in, or one
built among garden crops from
which to watch and scare away
birds and animals from the crops
while they are ripening ; store-hut.

hut site.

battle-axe.

fireplace.

ancestral kraal or the name applied to
the chief woman or the chief son
of the chief woman of such kraal,
or the woman appointed as head
of such kraal.

N.B. Among men of substance, a
certain one of the wives of the man
is specially appointed to bear the
heir to and represent a man's
father's or grandfather's kraal,
and to inherit the estate of that
kraal to the exclusion of all other
sons ; the heir of this kraal is
looked upon as the father of the
other sons, and matters of impor-
tance are referred to him first
before they are dealt with. He
can only inherit this kraal's estate,
and has no right to the estate, in
the indlunkulu, ikhohlo or iqadi

26 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

until after all the heirs of those
houses have died out.
In his Text- Book of Zulu Grammar (4th Edition), from

page 373, Professor C. M. Doke, gives the following valuable

statement of Zulu terms of Relationship :

A. Blood Relationship

Third Ascending Generation :

The term ukoko or ukhokho is applied to the great-
grandparents on both sides, and to all their brothers and
sisters.

Second Ascending Generation :

The term ugogo is applied to the grandparents on both
sides and to the brothers and sisters of these.

Possessive terms, u6a6amkhulu (my, our grandfather),
uyihlomkhulu (thy, your grandfather), and uyisemkhulu (his,
her, their grandfather), are used for the father's father and
mother's father with their brothers, the father's mother's
brothers and the mother's mother's brothers.

ukhulu is used for the father's mother and the mother's
mother with their sisters, and for the father's father's sisters
and mother's father's sisters. Special possessive terms
corresponding to ukhulu are :

umakhulu (my, our grandmother)
unyokokhulu (thy, your grandmother) and
uninakhulu (his, her, their grandmother).

First Ascending Generation :

Possessive terms, u6aBa (my, our father), uyihlo (thy,
your father), and uyise (his, her, their father), are used to
indicate the father, the father's brothers, the husbands of
the mother's sisters, the sons of the father's father's brothers
and of the father's mother's brothers. The adjectives
omkhulu and omncane may be added to these terms to indi-

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 27

cate elder and younger respectively, e.g., u6aBa omkhulu
(my father's elder brother).

Possessive terms, uma or umame (my, our mother),
unyoko (thy, your mother), and unina (his, her, their mother)
are used to indicate the mother, the mother's sisters, the
wives of the father and of the father's brothers, and the
daughters of the mother's mother's sisters and of the mother's
father's sisters.

The mother's sisters may also be called by the possessive
terms : umamekazi, unyokokazi, and uninakazi. The
adjectives omkhulu and omncane may be added to the above
terms to indicate elder and younger respectively, e.g.,
unyoko omncane or unyokokazi omncane (thy mother's
younger sister). The father's sister (and sometimes the
father's brother) is indicated by the possessive terms
u6a6ekazi, uyihlokazi, and uyisekazi with the distinctions for
elder and younger.

The possessive terms uBaBa, etc., are also sometimes,
though rarely, used in this connection.

The mother's brother and his wife, and also her
" cousins " of all types, are indicated by the possessive terms
umalume, unyokolume, and uninalume.

For stepfather the possessive terms uBaBa wesiBili, etc.,
or uBaBana, etc., are used ; and for stepmother the possessive
terms umame wesiBili, etc.

Contemporary Generation :

The children of the father, of the father's brothers and
of the mother's sisters, in fact, of all those called uBaBa, etc.,
or umame, are called umfowethu (my brother), umfowenu (thy
brother), and umfowaBo (his, her brother) ; or udadewethu
(my sister), udadewenu (thy sister), and udadewaBo (his, her
sister). The terms omkhulu and omncane may be added to
distinguish in all cases. An elder brother, child of the same
mother or father or both, may be distinguished as umune.

28 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

The children of the mother's sisters or cousins may be indi-
cated by the term okanina. Brothers and sisters may be
termed umnawe, or possessively, umnawami, etc.

The children of the father's sisters and of all called
uBaBekazi, etc., and the children of the mother's brothers and
of all called umalume, etc., are indicated by the term umzala.

The children of one mother are indicated by the .plural
term izelamani.

First Descending Generation :

The general term applied to children is umntwana. This
term is applied to one's own children and to the children of
one's brothers and sisters. Possessive terms are also used,
e.g., umntanami (my child), umntanakho (thy child), etc.,
plural a6anta6ami, etc.

To distinguish sex, the term indodana is used for a boy,
and indodakazi for a girl.

A man may call his brother's child by the descriptive
terms, umntanomfowethu, etc., and his sister's child by the
descriptive terms, umntakadadewethu, etc.

Umntwanakazi is used loosely instead of umntwana, but
should strictly be used only by umamekazi, etc. (the mother's
sister), to indicate nephew or niece.

The eldest son or heir is called inkosana or indlalifa.
This is generally the eldest son of the inkosikazi, the son of
the ikhohlo being distinguished by the term inkosana yase-
khohlo. If, however, a man has only one wife, the eldest son
is the inkosana, while the youngest son acts as ikhohlo in the
home and is himself called ikhoUo.

The first-born of the family is called iziBulo or owamazi-
Bulo. The last-born is called uthunjana or owamagcino.
Second Descending Generation :

The children of any indodana or indodakazi are termed
possessively umntanomntanami (child of my child), etc.,
with fuller forms umntwana womntanami or umntwana

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 29

womntwana wami. In the plurals, a6anta6a6antaBami
(children of my children) etc., and a6anta6omntanami
(children of my child), etc. may be made special distinctions
of relationship.

All the grandchildren, children of brothers, are called
umndeni, e.g., umndeni kaNtengo, where uNtengo is the name
of the grandfather.

Third Descending Generation :

The great-grandchildren are indicated by the terms
umzukulu, umzukulwana, or umzukulwane.

B. Relatives by Marriage

The grandparents of a wife or of a husband become the
grandparents of the spouse in each case.

The father of a man's wife is his umukhwe.

The mother of a man's wife is his iimkhwekazi.

The parents of a woman's husband are indicated by the
possessive terms iimamezala, unyokozala, and uninazala.

Parents of two married persons call one another by the
term umlingane or umkhozi.

A spouse, i.e., wife or husband, is indicated by the
possessive terms umkami, etc., or owakwami, etc.

A husband is umyeni or indoda.

A wife is umfazi ; but the wives of a polygamist are
distinguished as follows : (i) principal wife, inkosikazi,
(ii) wife of the left hand, ikhohlo, and (iii) third wife, inqadi.
A man's bride is umakoti or umloBokazi. She is also so called
by all in his kraal, and this term may also be applied to his
brother's wife.

A man's wife's brother, sister and cousins, and his
brother's wife's brother and sister are designated by the
term umlamu.

A woman's husband's brother is untfowethu, etc., as
also all whom he calls umfowethu, etc.

30 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

A woman's husband's cousin is umzala, as also all whom
he calls umzala.

A woman's husband's sister is udadewethu, etc., as also
all whom he calls udadewethu.

A man's wife's sister's husband is designated by the
possessive terms umnakwethu, etc.

A sister's husband or father's sister's husband is desig-
nated by the possessive terms umkhwenya wethu, etc., or by
umkhwenyana with wakwethu, etc., added if needed.

A fellow-wife or husband's brother's wife or husband's
cousin's wife is designated by the possessive terms uzakwethu,
etc. The terms for seniority and juniority may be added.

A woman's brother's wife is umakoti womufo, or umakoti
womune.

A person's brother's bride is designated by the possessive
terms umakoti wakwethu, etc., or umkethu, etc.

A son's wife or bride is umalokazana, or the possessive
terms umakoti wakwami, etc., or umlo6okazi wakwami, etc.,
are used in this connection.

A daughter's husband is umkwenyana ; the possessives
wakwami, etc., may be added if needed.

Any member of the husband's family calls any contem-
porary member of the wife's family umlanda ; thus his
parents use the term of her parents, and his brothers of her
brothers, etc.

CHAPTER VI
COLOURS OF CATTLE

Samuelson, in his Zulu Dictionary, from page 568, gives
a valuable statement of colours of cattle, and the beast
itself having that particular colour ; also particular denomi-
nations of cattle, as known to the Zulus. From this statement

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

31

and other works, I have selected and compiled the sub-
joined list.
NOTE This list is by no means exhaustive.

With regard to the colours of cattle it will be observed
that I have used the forms with Noun prefixes, e.g., UmduBu,
umhlophe, impunga, etc. Relative concords are used with
these words to make them qualify a noun or noun understood,
e.g., inkomo emdu6u ; inkomazi empunga, etc.

Feminine English

ibanqulekazi black or red beast,
elimnyama with white belly,
or eliBomvu. the white streaks
meeting on the
back at the hips.

eBomvu red beast without

spots.

uBuBendekazi liver-coloured beast.

ufiphakazi dust-coloured beast.

ihhemukazi a black, red, brown
or yellow beast
with white on one
side or both.

ihungqukazi brindle-coloured
beast.

ihwanqakazi white and black,
brown and white
or white and red
beast.

Feminine English

ukholokazi yellow, sandy-
coloured beast ;
dark yellow.

iklilakazi, beast with white on

Masculine

iBanqule elimnyama
or eliBomvu.

eEomvu

uEuBende

uFipha

iHhemu

iHungqu
iHwanqa

Masculine

uKholo

iKlila, iKlilathi

iklilathikazi the throat.

32 A

iLunga

eMavovo

uMdaka
iiMduBu

iMfezi t

uMhlophe
uMlaza

iMpemvu

iMpofu

iMpunga
uMsheko

Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter
ilungakazi

umdakakazi
umdiiBukazi

imfezikazi

umhlophekazi
umlazakazi

impemvukazi

impofukazi

impungakazi
umshekokazi

uMthuku

umtlwkukazi

black beast, with
white patches over
stomach, legs and
back.

skimmel or straw-
berry coloured
beast.

dun-coloured beast.

yellow, sandy-
coloured beast;
dark yellow.

beast with a white
stripe, or white
collar round its
throat.

white beast.

whitish beast, with
thin, scattered,
black streaks over
the body.

beast, black, yellow,
red or brown, with
white face.

pale, red- yellow
beast.

grey beast.

black beast with a
dash of white on
the side and on-
ward to the shoul-
der.

mouse - coloured
beast.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

33

eMvuSomaSele

Masculine

iNala

iNco

iNhlamvu
uNhlekwane

iNkone

iNkone elele umuntu
esiswini

iNsasa

skimmel or straw-
berry coloured
beast.

Feminine English

inalakazi red or black beast

with small white
spots about the
legs and sides.

incokazi red beast, speckled

with white spots,
that is, white
patches here and
there.

inhlamvukazi red beast without
spots.

unhlekwanekazi black beast with
white stripes run-
ing from the shoul-
ders to the sides.

inkonekazi beast of any colour,
i.e., black, red,
yellow, brown,
with white
speckles down the
ridge of the back.
OR a white beast
with large red
spots on stomach,
white beast with
large black spots
on stomach.

inkonekazi
elele umuntu
esiswini

insasakazi

skimmel or straw-
berry coloured
beast.

34

iNsundu

iNtenjane

iNtulo

iNtusi

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Masculine

iNyaluthi

iNzima
iNzotha

ePhuzingweBu
i Qola

uThuthu
iWaBa, iWasa

insundukazi
intenjanekazi

intulokazi
intusikazi

Feminine

inyaluthikazi

inzimakazi
inzothakazi

iqolakazi

uthuthukazi

iwaBakazi,
iwasakazi

dark brown-coloured
beast; d u n -
coloured beast.

lightish-yellow beast
with white patch
running up one or
both hind legs.

beast, black or red,
with a white head.

red-coloured beast,
with a small white
spot on the side,
in front of one or
both of the hind
legs.
English

dark yellow, almost

brown beast,
black beast.

red or white beast,
generally with
white and brown
spots on side ; also
red brown and
white.

beast with a white
snout.

black or red beast
with white from
small of the back,
downwards.

dust-coloured beast.

black or red beast
with white belly.

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

35

iBeka

isiCengeza

umDlovu
uluGelekeqe

isiGqala
isiGudwa
isiHleza
iMbedula

iMpothane, iMpothela
iMpoxela

iMpoxeyana

iNdlezane

iNgcungu
iNgquthu

one of the cattle given as part
of Io6olo. Each of these cattle
is called " ibeka, " the plural
is " amabeka ".

beast with widely spread horns,
curving in and forming the
shape of the sides of a basin.

ox with horns turned downwards
or round the face.

beast with horns pointing back-
wards.

cow with very little milk.

cow milked without calf.

beast with a broken horn.

beast with horns pointing back-
wards.

beast with twisted horns.

beast with sharply pointed and
erect horns.

beast with horns of about two
inches.

cow with calf, within a week or
two since with calf. NOTE
" umdlezane " is a woman
with an infant at breast.

beast with horns curving so as
to almost meet.

beast given to a mother-in-law
by a son-in-law, in connection
with her daughter whom he
has married or deflowered.
N.B. This beast is solely the
property of the mother of the
girl impregnated, and she may
do anything she likes with it.

36

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

iNkom'cchophe ngomsila

iNkom'egqizile

iNkom'emahlawe

iNkomo yesondlo

iNqudulu (ingudulu)

iNsizwakazi

iNxahi

iNyumbakazi
uPhishilili

um Qholiso

umThantazana

umThantikazi

isiThokazana

isiThokazi

isiThole

iZi6ulekazana

beast with a white brush of the
tail.

beast with a sock, or white on
one or all the legs.

beast with horns that are short,
curved, and hang down on
the surface of the skin.

beast paid for having nourished
and brought up a child.

poly beast (hornless).

poly cow (hornless).

bull that has been castrated
when full-grown.

queen cow, sterile cow.

beast with tall horns sloping and
pointing backward.

beast slaughtered by an in-
tended bridegroom in honour
of his fiancee on her betrothal
visit to his kraal.

young or small heifer.

full-grown heifer.

young or small heifer.

full-grown heifer.

heifer.

heifer that has had only the
first calf.

Cattle Diseases in English and Zulu

English

Abscess
Actinomycosis Lumpy

jaw
Anthrax

Zulu

ithumba
umadilwana

umBendeni

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

37

Black quarter Spons-

siekte
Constipation droegal-

siekte
Diarrhoea
East Coast Fever

Foot and Mouth Disease

Gall sickness

Heartwater

Lumpy Skin Disease

Lungsickness

Mange

Nagana

Pneumonia

Red Water

Ringworm

Stiffsickness (thrce-day-

stiff sickness).
Tuberculosis

uphezukomkforto ; umanyongana
ukuqumba

ukusheka ; ukuhuda ; isihudo
umanyonyoBa ; ukufa (kwezi-

nkomo) ; kwamakhizane
ukufa komlomo
inyongo ; isashu
ukufa kwenhliziyo
umakluikhumesana
umahagane
utwayi
uNakane
isidlanga
isikhuBa
umBandamu
uthathamela

isifuBa

Colours of Horses

English

Bay

Black

Blue-dun

Brown

Chestnut

Cream

Grey

Piebald Black and

white
Skewbald Red and

white
Star (with any colour)

Zulu Masculine Zulu Feminine

eliBomvu inhlamvukazi

elimnyama inzimakazi

elimdaka, umdaka umdakakazi
elinsundu ensundukazi

ifosi ifosikazi

ulaza ulazakazi

elimpunga impungakazi

ilunga ilungakazi

inco

indonya

incokazi

indonyakazi

38 A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

White elimhlophe umhlophektzi

Yellow-dun elimdaka, umdaka umdakakazi

Horse Sicknesses

Brokenwind

Horse-sickness

Mange

Nagana

Saddle-sore

Worms

iphika

isimoliya

utwayi

unakane

isilonda, isikofu

amapapisi

English

Black

Black and White

Black and White

spotted
Blackish-grey

Brownish-grey

Colours of Goats

Zulu Masculine

emnyama
ilunga, ibanqule

emafahlafahla

umzondo (or
ingwevu ngoku-
mnyama)

ingwevu ngokun-
sundu

emdaka

insundu

Dark-brown
Light-brown
Light-red with yellow insele

muzzle

White emhlophe

Yellow empofu

Zulu Feminine

inzimakazi
ilungakazi, ibanqu-

lekazi
emafahlafahlakazi

umzondokazi (or
ingwevukazi ngo-
kumnyama)

ingwevukazi ngo-
kunsundu

umdakakazi

insundukazi

inselekazi

emhlophekazi
empofukazi

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

39

Common ear- marks placed on
Cattle, horses, sheep and goats

Description
English of ear -mark

Half-moon portion so cut off that the

remaining mark re-
sembles a half-moon

Hole hole through any part of

any ear

Skey (skei) portion so cut off that the
remaining mark re-
sembles the nick of a
skey, into which the
strop is hooked

Slit a straight cut through

middle of ear near the
tip

Square one side of the slit cut

(winkelhaak) away

Stump tip of ear cut off

Swallow-tail tip so cut away that the
end of ear resembles
end of tail of a swallow

Zulu

ugegeBu

imboBo
isikeyi

indleBe edatshuli-
weyo

isikwde

isihunu
inkonjane

CHAPTER VII
Common Human Diseases

For some of the terms I am indebted to The Native
Teachers' Journal (Vol. XXIII, No. 3 of April, 1944, and
Vol. XVIII, No. 2 of January, 1939).

English

Appendicitis

Zulu

ukuvuthwa kwetunjana elilenga ku-
bobobo

40

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Asthma

Blister

Boil

Bronchitis

Bulla

Cancer in Abdomen

Chicken-pox

Cold

Colic

Constipation

Consumption

Diarrhoea

Dropsy

Duodenal ulcer
Dysentery

Eczema

Enteric

Epidemic outbreak

Gastric Ulcer

Gonorrhoea

Heart Disease

Indigestion

Influenza

Leprosy

Malaria fever

Measles

Meningitis

Miners' Phthisis

Mumps

Palpitation

umBefu (ufuBa) ; isifuBa somoya

ishashaza

intumbane (ithumba)

isishiso semithambo yomoya

ibanyaza

ixhwala esiswini

inqiiBukinjwana

umkhuhlane

isisu esisikayo

ukusongeleka

ixhwala (isifuBa)

ukusheka ; ukuhuda

umzimba ogcwele amanzi ; (isikhu-

hlukhuhlu)
isilonda ethunjini
isihudo samatheketheke ; (isihudo esi-

negazi)
ukuquBuka okuvuzamanzi (umsasa-

ndla) ; (umuna)
imbo yesihudo segazi
ubadane (imbo)
isilonda esiswini
iBuBa, ugcunsula
isifo senhliziyo
isilungulela
imfuluyeza
uchoko

uhlonzane (umalaleveva)
isimungumungwane
isifo esivuvukisa imithambo yentamo

nomhlandla
isifuBa sasemgodini
uzagiga (uqilaza)
.ukushaya kwenhliziyo (ukugquma)

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

41

Papillonia or Wart

Pimple (on face)

Pleurisy

Pneumonia

Rheumatic Fever

Ringworm

Scabies

Smallpox

Syphilis

T.B. of the lungs

Typhus

Whooping-cough

Miscellaneous

Abscess

Apoplexy

Birthmark

Cataract

Collapse

Concussion
Conjunctivitis

eyes)
Convulsions

(sore

Deformity

Discharging ear

Dizziness

Ear-wax

Faint

Fit (epileptic)

Germ

Gland

Heat and Sunstroke

Hysteria

insiimpa

induna eBusweni

ihlaBa ; isiboBo

isishiso samaphaphu (isidlanga)

umkhuhlane wekhunkulo

umBandamu

ukhwekhwe

ingxoBongo ; iiPokisi

isipatsholo

isifuBa se-T.B.

imbo yezintwala

wnpe Iwezingane

izinhlo6onhlo6o

ithumba

ukutheleka kwegazi eBuchosheni

umkhangu

umlanga ehlweni (phakathi)

ukuphela amandla ; ukufumbeka

phansi

ukungquBuzeka
amehlo aBomvu

ukudlala, ukuthuthumela komzimba

kwenziwa isifo
ixhwala

indleBe ephumubovu
isinxi (inzululwane)
isigonogono
ukuquleka
isithuthwane

igciwane (lesifo] ; (inungunungwana)
indlala

isifiithafutha sokmhiswa yilanga
umhayizo or ihaBiya

42

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Insanity
Lumbago
Miscarriage
Mucus from lungs
Navel-cord
Neuritis

Obstructed labour
Paralysis

Pass loose stools

Placenta (after-birth)

Pus

Rash

Scurvy

Sputum

Sterility (of female)

Still-birth

Stupor

Swelling

Tapeworm

Threadworms

T.B. of spine

Tumour

Varicose veins

Worm

ukuhlanya

iqolo (umnyuka waseqolo)

ukuphuphuma kwesisu

isikhwehlela

inkaBa

uBuhlungu Bemizwa

ukiixakela

ukuqedwa amandla nokuzwa ;

kwemithambo (ukoma]
huda

umzanyana
uBovu
umquBuko
umsheshaphansi
isikhwehlela
uBunyumba

uphumefile (umphunzo)
isihlwathi
ukuvuvuka
isilo esimhlophe

oshobishobi Bezilo (izimpethwane)
i-T.B. yomhlandla
ihlumela (isimila]
ikhunkulo lemithambo
isilo

Bones of the Body
Amathambo omzimba

English

Ankle

Anterior frontenalle

Atlas (root of back of

neck first cervical

vertebra)
Calf bone (Fibula)

Zulu

iqakala

ukhakhayi

isahlulampisi

isithumbu

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

43

Canine (side tooth 2)
Cervical Vertebrae
Cheek-bone (Zygomatic

bone)
Chin

Coccyx (tail)
Collar bone (clavicle)
External acoustic meatus
External occipital Pro-
tuberance
False Rib

Femur (thigh-bone)
Floating Rib
Foramen Magnum
Front tooth (incisor)
Frontal bone
Frontal eminence
Funny-bone (elbow)
Hip-bone

Humerus (upper arm bone)
Inner bone of Forearm

(ulna)

Knee-cap (patella)
Lower jaw (mandible)
Lumbar Vertebra
Molar

Nape of neck
Nasal bone (nose-root)
Nasal Cavity
Nose-bridge
Occipital bone
Outer bone of Forearm

(radius)

Phalanges of Foot (or toes)
Phalanges of hand

elenja

isizunguzungu

isidindi

isilevu

umsinsila

ingqwa6a6a

isiqhoma

incengela (umantshasa)

uBambo olunqumunqumu

elenyonga, or inyongd

umpethwane

isikhonkosi

elingaphambili

iBunzi, isiphongo, isimongo

ihlonhlo

indololwane

itheBe, igeBe

elifuphi (lengalo)

ithambo logalo

ivi

umhlathi

ungceshana

elomhlathi

isijungujungu

imvelelo

amankanka

umBombo

isiphundu

imbilathi

amathambo ezinzwane
amathambo eminwe

44

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Prominent part of the
face, just above the
eye, on which the eye-
brow grows

Rib

Seat-bone (Ischium)

Shin-bone (Tibia)

Shoulder-blade (scapula)

Side of head or Parietal
bone

Skeleton

Small of back

Spine

Sternum (breast-bone)

Temporal bone

Tooth

True Rib

Wedge (sacred) bone
(sacrum)

Wisdom tooth

Wrist

Xiphoid process of
sternum

Zygoma

ithundit

uBambo
isitiUli
umondlo
isiphanga
ucezu Iwekhanda

ukhehle
idanda ; iqolo
umhlandla
uvalo

isikhala soBuso
izinyo
uBambo
ihoho

eloBambo
isihlakala
ucaBanga, uvalo

inhlafuno

Parts of the Body
Okomzimba

Adam's apple
Arm-pit (axilla)
Back of shoulders
Biceps or arm muscles
Big toe
Blood-vessel
Buttock
Calf of the leg

igilo

ikhwapha

amagxalaBa

izinkonyane

uqukula

umthambo

isinqe

isithumbanja

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Cheek

Clitoris ..

Double Chin

Ear drum

Epidermis (outer skin)

Eyebrow

Eyelash

Eye pupil

Female breast

Female mons veneris

Groin

Gums

Hard Palate

Head of Glans Penis

Heel

Hip

Index finger

Knuckle

Labia majora (folds of

the vulva feminae)
Lap

Leg (leg of a person)
Leg (lower foreleg)
Little tongue (uvula)
Lobule of the ear
Lower lip
Male public region
Man's breast
Nape of neck
Navel
Neck (i.e., the whole

trunk lying between

the head and collar

bones)

isihlathi

umsunu

iBilo

iso lendleBe

imveBu

ishiya

likhophe

inhlamvu ycso

iBele

isidumbu

imbilapho

izinsini

ulwanga

inkanda

isithende

inqulu

unkomba

iqupha

amaleBe

ithanga

umlenze

ugalo, intungwa, isilho, umBala

ugovana

isicuBu sendleBe

udeBe

uBumbu

isiBele

isijingo

inkaBa

intamo

46

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter
isitshako

Opening between front

teeth
Penis

Rectum (Anus)
Shin
Shoulder
Side of head
Small finger
Small Toe
Spinal cord
Testicle
Thigh (all that part of

the leg between knee

and hip)
Thumb
Tip of tongue
Toe

Tongue
Tonsil

Upper limb (forearm)
Upper lip
Vulva
Waist
Wind-pipe

umphambili, umthondo

ingquza, ididi, igolo

umBala

ihlombe

ucezu Iwekhanda

ucikicane

uzwani oluncane

umnqonqo

isende

ithanga

isithupha

inkotha

uzwani

ulimi

ilaka (uvula]

umkhono

udevu

inhlunu

ukhalo (iguma]

uqhoqhoqho

Internal Organs
IziBilini

Bile

Bladder
Brain
Colon

Diaphragm (outer cover-
ing of the bowels)
Duodenum

^nyongo

isinye

uBuchopho

inanzi

untu

ithumbu lenanzi

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

47

Gall-bladder

Heart

Intestines

Kidney

Large intestine

Liver

Lung

Marrow of bone

Pericardium

Small intestine

Spleen

Stomach

Injuries

English

Abrasion
Contused wound
Contusion
Haemorrhage
Incised wound
Lacerated wound
Punctured wound
Weal (caused by a blow

from a stick or strap)
Wound (on head)
Wound (a wound caused

by a sharp instrument

on any part of the

body)

Fractures
Ukwaphuka kwamathambo

Comminuted fracture uvithithambo

Complicated fracture umchachathambo

Compound fracture uthambokhoxe

isikhwama senyongo

inhliziyo

amathumbu

inso

ithumbu likapopopo

isi6indi

iphaphu

umkantsha

ulwambesi

usinyaka

uBende

isisu

Ukulimala

Zulu

isihuzu

iphuphusi

ithuBulela

ukopha

inxe6a elisaluhlanga

inxeda eliqhaqhaBulekile

inxeBa elichambuzekile

umvimbo

tngozi
inxeBa

48

. A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Depressed fracture
Green-stick fracture
Impacted fracture
Simple fracture

umfehlezathambo
ufecethambo
umqwalathambo
uthambophoqo

CHAPTER VIII
Seasons in Zulu

intwasahloBo spring ; beginning of summer

isilimela the ploughing season ; ALSO, a

group of stars which may be
observed in the early morning
during the month of August.
They are so called because
they appear at a time when
ploughing begins
the green-mealie season
summer .(generally)
midsummer
winter (generally)
midwinter

Summer

In his Zulu English Dictionary (1905), page 251,
Bryant gives the following valuable statement of the divi-
sions of summer, as known to the Zulus.

ukwindla

ihloBo

ihloB' elikhulu

uBusika

u6usika oBumpofu OR

uSusika oBukhulu

1 . lethwese ihloBo

2. sekululiBo OR sckuyi-
sikhathi soliBo

the summer has come round, i.e.,
at the time of the first rains,
when the new grass begins to
cover the land.

it is now the time of the first
fruits, when green pumpkins,
gourds, and the like are eaten

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

49

3. sckusekwindla OR se-
kuyisikhathi sokwi-
ndla

4. sekulihloBo elikhulu ;
sekuphakathi kokwi
ndla

5. sekuphele ukwindla ;
sekuphele ihloBo

sekungena u6usika ;
sekuyisikhathi soku-

it is now the time of the new
food, when the new mealies
(not amaBele} are eaten, when
the amaBele are just commen-
cing to produce ears and the
birds to give trouble

it is now great or midsummer,

it is now the middle of ukwindla-
time, i.e., when the amaBele
are in full ear and the mealies
ripening

the ukwindla-time is now at an
end, the summer season is now
finished, i.e., when the ama-
Bele and mealies are already
ripe and are drying on the
stalk

the winter-season is now coming
in ; it is now harvesting time

vuna

Phases of the Moon

The periods of the reign of a moon as known to the Zulus,
are set forth, in the subjoined statement, which I quote from
page 465 of Bryant's Zulu English Dictionary (1905).

Faye has made two minor additions to this statement,
which are shown in brackets vide page 57 of his book en-
titled Zulu References.

the moon is just appearing, as

on the day of the new moon
it has appeared, as a new moon

in the -first day or two
it is in the first quarter
it is now full moon

inyanga iyethwasa

ithwese

isilucezu

isihlangene or isidilingene
(or isigcwele]

50

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

isihlephukile or isilucezu
isifulathele ezansi or isi-
phethele ezansi

isilibamuza

it is in the last quarter
it is towards the end of the last
quarter when the crescent gets
to lean down flat towards the
east, not standing vertically
as before

it is the last day before dis-
appearance, or sometimes also
it is already full
it has gone or disappeared
it is the black or very dark day
today, i.e., the one immediate-
ly following the moon's dis-
appearance, and with the
Native, a day of solemn
retreat, abstinence from work
and pleasure-seeking
it is a white or brighter day
today, i.e., the second after
disappearance of moon and
one immediately preceding its
reappearance, upon which the
Natives are free again to work
it is coming in or appearing
it is laughed at by the (chatter-
ing) birds, i.e., when setting
just before sunrise
it is now overtaken by dawn,
i.e., sets during daylight, after
full moon

Many an apparent discrepancy may be conveyed by
interpreting chronological sequence of events in the exact
calculation of calendar months, whereas a perfectly honest
and truthful, illiterate, Native witness may be giving evidence
and basing his calculations of time in accordance with truly

ngolumhlope namuhla

isiyethwasa
isihlekwa yizinyoni

(isiyaselwa)

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

51

Native custom, on the lunar months which can only approxi-
mately be made to synchronise with the calendar months
of the year.

Even when these lunar months are used with their
Native names, there are, today, not many Natives who will
agree with the exactitude, demanded by a court of law, on
the names of the months in their correct sequence in order
to ensure accuracy of date when an event occurred.

It stands to reason, therefore, that infinite caution must
be exercised in interpreting chronological order of events as
given by 'an illiterate witness, in order to avoid discounten-
ancing his evidence on the grounds of discrepancy. For
example, if a witness is thinking in terms of lunar months,
his statement " Ngenyanga efile " and " Ngokuthwasa
kwenyanga " may stand for " During the last lunar month "
and " At the commencement of the new moon" respectively,
and should not be interpreted as " Last month " and " Next
month " at the risk of conveying a false impression to the
Court.

This point may best be illustrated by giving the following
lists of lunar months taken from lists given by men who
might claim to be experts in the matter :

A.

(Prof. Doke's Text-
Book of Zulu Gram-
mar, page 370)

1. uncwaBa

(also called
Unhloyile, the
month when
kites appear),
the month

B.

(A. I. Molefe &
T. Z. Masondo
EzomdaBu We-
zizwe ZaBansu-
ndu, page 191)

uncwaBa
(June)

C.

(P. Lamula, Isa-
Belo sikaZulu,
page 139)

uncwaBa
(August)

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

when the grass
is green, starts
about the
middle of July

2. umandulo (used

as " hlonipha "
for Umpandu,
also called Iso-
kanqangi), the
month when
the first gar-
dens appear
starts towards
the middle of
August

3. umfumfu

the month
when the new
shoots show
starts early in
September

4 . tdwezi

the month
when the grass-
hopper larvae
appears on the
grass starts
early in
October

5. uziBandlela

the month
when the paths
are overgrown
(also called
Udlolo), starts

umandulo

(July)

timandulo
(September)

uziBandlela
(September)

umfumfu
(October)

ulwezi
(November)

umasingana
(October)

uziBandlela
(December)

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

53

10.

very early in
November

umasingana
(also called
Ungcela), the
month for
looking after
the pumpkins
starts at the
beginning of
December

unhlolanja

the month of
the mating of
dogs starts at
the beginning
of January

undasa

the month of
the abundance
of new mealies
starts at the
very beginning
of February

umBasa

(also called
Um6aso), the
winter fires are
first lit, starts
at the end of
February

ungulaziBuya
( als o called
Undida), starts

ulwezi

umasingana

(November) (January)

ungcela
(December)

undasa
(January)

utnBaso
(February)

unhlolanja
(February)

undasa
(March)

um6aso
(April)

unhlaSa
(May)

54

11

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

towards the
end of March

unhlangula
(April)

unhlangula
(Unhlangulana)
(June)

umaquBa
(May)

untulikazi, ( Uma-
quBa, Unhlangu-
la}. (July)

unhlaSa

the month of
the aloe flowers
starts late in
April

12. unhlangulana

(also called
Uluthudlana or
U m a, q u 6 a
omncane), the
month of the
early winds
starts about
the middle of
May

13. umaquSa

(also called
Untulini, Umpo-
fu, Untulikazi,
Uluthuli, Unhla-
ngula), the month
of dust blowing
starts in mid-
June

The natural conclusion is that no interpretation of time
can possibly give the accuracy reflected by a Police report
such as " at 6.15, on the morning of August the 17th, 1946."
and the witness' evidence cannot be dismissed as contra-
dictory merely on the time or date factor.

Professor Doke sets forth the terms used to indicate
various Periods of Time during the Day and Night, as known

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 65

to the Zulus, in the subjoined statement, which I quote from
page 372 of his Text-Book of Zulu Grammar (4th edition).

ngokukhala kwezinkuku zokuqala (1st cockcrow)

fngokukhala kwezinkuku zesi6ili (2nd cockcrow)
\ngokuphuma kwekhwezi (at the appearing of the morning

star)

fngokukhala kwezinkuku zesithathu (3rd cockcrow)
\ngokuphuma kwendosa (at the appearing of Jupiter)

fngokwehla kwezinkuku (at the descent of the fowls)
\^kumpondozankomo (very early morning)

fngovivi ~\
\kusasa J (at early dawn)

Cngokuphuma kwenhlamvu (at sunrise)
< ngokuphuma kwelanga
[ekuseni kakhulu (in the early morning)

ekuseni (in the morning)

ngokufudumala kwelanga (when the sun is hot)

f ngenhlanzane (at milking time)
\ekuseni kwasemini (mid-morning)

femini (at midday)
\ukuqopha kwelanga (sun in zenith)

emini yantambama (early afternoon)

ntambama (in the afternoon)

selimathunzi (at time of mountain shadows)

Cseli6antu6ahle \ (sun at the base of the trees)
\selikhalazemithi J 3i

56

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

fngokushona kwenhlamvu\
\jigokushona kwelanga j (at sunset)

ngokuqundeka kwamehlo (at the time of the blunting of the

eyes, at dusk)
ngokuhwelela (evening)
kusihlwa (late evening)
eBusuku (at night)
phakathi kwama6ili (midnight, between the two nights)

CHAPTER IX
AGRICULTURAL TERMS

Agriculture

Arrest floods
Agricultural Officer
Bare hill
Betterment area
Clayey-soil
Clayey-loam
Cultivated lands
Crop rotation

Crop-growing

Cultivation of soil

Carrying capacity

Culling

Contour

Contour System

Despoiled land

Dry land (i.e., land

not under irrigation)
Eroded land
Expert advice

UkuseBenzisa umhlaBathi

ukuthiya izikhukhula

inyanga yokulima

inkalo eqothukile

isigodi esihlengiwe OR esizohlengwa

isidaka

isidakangxuBe

izindawo ezilinyiweyo amasimu

ukulandelisana izinhloBo zokudla OR

ukuphambanisa izilimo ensimini
ukulima ukudla
ukulima

amandla amadlelo okondla imfuyo
ukuhhmga
imiBundu
isu lemiBundu
amasimu asonakele

amasimu angekho enkaseni
umhlaBathi osugugudekile
iseluleko sezingcweti

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

57

Fertility of soil
Fertiliser
Furrows
Floods
Forest
Garden
Gravel
Germination
Grazing lands
Grass-clad hill
Grazing Camp
paddock

Grass preservation
Humus

Ill-treating of the land
Irrigated land

Irrigation

Kraal manure

Loam

Moist land

Moisture

Newly-burnt veldt
(both when no new
grass has grown
and when young
grass has commen-
ced to grow)

Natural forest

Overstocking

Reclamation of land
Rehabilitation of land

ukuvunda komhlaBathi

umanyolo

imisele

izikhukhula imibidli

ihlathi

isivande, isife

ukhethe, umguBane, uhlalu

ukufeca kwenhlamvu etshaliwe

amadlelo

inkalo yotshani

inkambu yamadlelo

ukonga amadlelo

umBolelaBiBi

ukuphatha umhlaBathi kaBi

amasimu asenkaseni OR amasimu

anenkasa
inkasa
umquBa

umhlaBathingxuBe

umhlaBathi onomswakama OR ifenya
umswakama
ihlungu

ihlathi lemvelo

(a) ukukhinyaBeza amadlelo nge-

mfuyo

(b) ukusindwa kwamadlelo yimfuyo

(c) ukugajwa kwamadlelo yimfuyo
ukuvusa umhlaBathi
ukuhlengwa komhlaBathi

58

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Rotational grazing

Reduction of stock

Rivers and spruits

Soil

Soil-clay

Sand

Sandy loam

Sand soil

Sub-soil

Sowing

Seed

Soil Erosion

Sweet grasses

Stock limitation

Stock

Stock of better value

Top-soil

Tramping of

land by stock
Virgin soil
Veldt-burning

(general)
Veldt-burning

(firebreaks)
Weeding

Black-jack
Burr-weed

Cockle-burr
Hemp (Dagga)

ukuphumuza amadlelo
ukuphungula imfuyo
imifula nemifudlana
umhla6athi
udaka
isihlaBathi
isihla6athingxu6e
inhlaBathi
ugwadule
ukutshala
imbewu

ukugugudeka komhlaBathi
utshani oBumnandi, e.g., insinde,
uBaBe

(a) ukufuya ngokulinganisela

(b) ukwaBela amadlelo ngamanana
afaneleyo

imfuyo

imfuyo engcono
umhlaBathi wokudla

ukubuduzeka kwezwe yimfuyo

ingqatho

ukushisa amadlelo

ukuBaBela
ukuhlakula ukhula

Weeds

uqadolo

umanqokodo, ugudhithukela, uma-

ngqamfana
igcuma
insangu

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter 50

Iris indlolothi

Khaki ugawulaqhele, unukani

Senecio umphenjane

Witch-weed isona

Trees

Fig umkhiwane

Gum indlulamithi, ungamuthilini

Lemon ulamula (the fruit ilamula OR inhluze)

Mimosa isanqawe, umunga, umtholo

Oak umegela

Orange iwolintshi

Peach umpetshisi (the fruit ipetshisi}

Wattle umtholo, uwatela

CHAPTER X
Glossary of Zulu Forms of Greeting and Salutation

With the kind permission of the Native Teachers'
Journal, Vol. XXIII, No. 1 of October, 1943).

Forms of Greeting

1 . Zulu \ (Never ma-Zulu) Zulus /

2. Nina BakwaZulu \ Zulus !

3. Nina BakaMjokwana ka- Zulus !

NdaBa

4. Nina BakaPhunga Zulus !

noMageBa

5. Muzi kaZulu \ Zulus !

Valedictory Words

6. Okumhlophe Zulu \ Farewell Zulus /

7. Amehlo amhlophe Nina Farewell Zulus /

8. Kungakhoke Muzi ka So it is Zulus / au

60

9.
10.

11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.

21.
22.

23.
24.
25.

26.

Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

So it is Zulus /

I wish you good journey

Angekhoke \

Indlela emhlophe Zulu \

Designations

Isizwe

UMBuso (Not uHulumeni]
U LusiBalukhulu
UMkhandlu woMBuso
IPalamende
Ilunga lePalamende
Indlu yezigele zoMBuso
Isigele soMBuso
UNdunankulu woMBuso
Isandla sikaNdunankulu

woMBuso
UNdunankulu wezindaBa-

zaBantu
UNdaBandaBazaBantu

(NOT umbali]
UNdaBazaBantu omkhulu
UNdaBazaBantu
INkosi yeNkantolo
IBandla laBakhulumeli

27. Umkhulumeli waBantu

28. Ingonyama

29. Isiphakanyiswa (NOT

iNkosi)

30. UMnumzana (NOT

iNkosi}

The State

Government

Governor-General

Cabinet

Parliament

Member of Parliament

Senate

Senator

Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

Minister of Native Affairs
Secretary for Native Affairs

Chief Native Commissioner

Native Commissioner

Magistrate

Native Representative
Council

Member of Native Repre-
sentative Council

Paramount Chief

Appointed Chief

Tribal Chief

Salutations

31. To Governor-General (Thrice) Eayede! Eayede! Eayede!

32. To Prime Minister (Twice) Eayede ! Eayede !

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interprets* 61

33. To Cabinet Minister (Once} Eayede !

34. To Secretary for

Native Affairs (Once] Bayede !

35. To Chief Native

Commissioner (Once] Eayede !

36. To Magistrate and

Native Com-
missioner Nkosi (NOT Eayede /)

37. To Paramount Chief Eayede ! Eayede ! UyiZulu !

OR Wena weNdlovu !

,, Wena weNkosi I

,, NdaBezitha !

,, MageSa !

Sithuli !

Zulu !

Silo !

Nda6a !

Nkonyane !

, , Nkonyane yeNkosi !

Zulu eliphezulu !

38. To Tribal and ap-

pointed Chiefs Their surnames, e.g., NgcoBo,
Zondi, etc. (NEVER Eayede !
or any of the Paramount
Chiefs' appellations as is often
done)

CHAPTER XI
Useful List of Words

A

ABaBomvana- (aBayeni] red ants (large)

isAmbane anteater (ant-bear)

isAngquma (isiChotho]
isAziso

A Guide for the Zulu Court Inter fireief

hail

announcement ; notification

isiBakabaka

iBansi

uBaqa

uBejane

imBeleko

umBoBe
isiBono

iBosho

uBova

imBovane (isandundiindu]

iBuBesi (ingonyama)

umBukwane

iBungezi

isiBuqo

imBuya

isiEankwa

isiEonkolo

iEululu

iEuzi (igundane]

B

sky ; firmament

greyhound

light-house

rhinoceros

skin used by Native women to

carry their babies on their

backs
buttermilk
abnormal protuberance of the

navel
a cartridge
bulldog
weevil
lion

korhan bird
beetle
harrow
pig-weed

B

lizard

ant, black (small)

puff-adder

rat

umCaBa

isiCaBucaBu
umChachazo
uChakide

ground-up boiled corn used with

amasi

hairy caterpillar

stream

weasel

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

63

isiChelegwana

iChiBi

iChide

idci

idmbi

udngo lomoya

isiCoco

isiCongco

isiCupho

iDada

iDayimani

iDiye

isiDleke

indlu yeNyoni

iDlelo

iDoloba

iDuBe

isiDuli

Dunga

Ela
Endle
Enyuka
Ewuka

stonechat

lake ; pond

one-eyed person ; person who

has lost the use of one of his

eyes
ear-ring
caterpillar
wireless
head-ring
summit
snare

D

duck

diamond

locust much eaten by boys out

herding cattle
nest (any bird's or fowl's nest ;

a hornet's nest ; bee's nest)
bird's nest
grazing land
town
zebra
ant-heap
disturb by stirring up ; upset

the quiet of people or things ;

disturb the mud at the bottom

of a pool or stream and so

dirty the water

E

winnow
in the veld

go up ; tend upward ; ascend
go or move downward, in a
downward course. Move lower

64

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

imFe
isiFe

umFelwa

umFelwakazi

uFezela

uFudu

umFula

isiFunda

iFusi

sweet-reed

small garden plot planted early

in season
widower
widow
scorpion
tortoise
river
district
field once cultivated but lying

idle

umGankla

iGatsha

isiGcawu

iGeBe

iGeja
uGi6e

iGoBongo (iGoSolondo)
umGodi

koodoo

branch of a tree

spot where cattle stand about
outside their kraal to avoid
mud, or place where men meet
for discussion of matters or
the trying of cases

snare for game which consists
of a large pit dug in places
where the game are known to
go, and covered with light
branches and grass

hoe, plough

snare for game made of rope
with a noose, the rope being
tied to the top of a young,
strong bending tree and the
loop (noose) laid across the
path of the game

empty cartridge case ; shell

mine ; pit ; hole

isiGodi

iGolide

isiGqizo

iGquma

iGqunyana

uGu

iGudu

iGundane

iGwaBaBa

uGwadule

umGwaqo

umGxala

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

valley

gold

bangle

hillock

kopje

coast

smoking-horn

mouse

crow (white-necked)

desert

road

crowbar

65

iHhala
amaHewu

umHlaBa

umHlaBa

umHlaBathi

isiHla6athi

umHlahlo

iHlaka (umThuBi]

uBuHlalu
isiHlambi

umHlandlothi (uSolo)
iHlanze

iHlathi

iHlathi lemvelo
isiHlava

H

harrow

drink made of thinned porridge
fermented

world ; earth ; land

aloe, with large thick leaves

soil

sand such as is found near rivers

assembly of men and witch-
doctors, met for the purpose
of finding out an evildoer

beestings, milk of a cow during
the first two or three days
after she has calved

beads

shower

flat-crown tree

thorn country ; bush country ;
bushveld

forest

natural forest

mealie-grub

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

iHlengethwa

iHleza

isiHleza

iHlokohloko

umuHlwa

umHlwenga

iHobe

Hosha

isiHosha
Hu6a

porpoise

mealie-cob without any grain on

beast with a broken-off horn or
horns

yellow finch

termite (white-ant)

mane (of horse, lion, etc.)

turtle-dove

pull out anything from among
others, such as grass from a
thatch, pole from a stack.
Hosha phansi drag or pull
along the ground

narrow valley ; ravine

move along by the stomach, as a
snake ; utter a sound like the
roaring and hissing of the sea,
like water when it is about to
boil, as a large number of
people singing together, as
the sound of hail falling at a
distance, or the singing of a
war song. iHu6o tempi (war
song)

ujantshi

ujojo

ijoka

uju

iJuBa

iKati
isiKebe

railway line

black, long-tailed kaf fir-finch

yoke

honey

dove

K

cat
boat

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

67

iKhade
isiKhala
uKhalo
isiKhatha

umKhathizwe

umKhaza

uKhethe

iKhetho

iKhizane

umKhombe

umKhomo

umKhongi

isiKhonkwane
isiKhonyane (iziNkumbi)
Khothoza

isiKhova

uKhozi

isiKhukukazi

umKhumbi

isiKhundla

uBuKhuphe
isiKhuza

water-melon

pass

ridge

hair-ball, found in the stomach
of cattle

horizon

tick

zinc

bridegroom's party

biggish brown tick

white rhinoceros

whale

bridegroom's man who is a go-
between the bridegroom and
future father-in-law ; he ar-
ranges the marriage, but his
special duty is to take the
iloBolo to the father-in-law or
guardian of the bride and ask
for the hand of the bride-
elect

peg of any kind, or beacon

locusts

glean ; gather in the remnants
of corn or any crop

owl

hawk

hen (domestic)

ship

situation ; place ; temporary
place of wild animal where it
has been lying and pressed
down the grass

fowl- vermin ; fowl-lice

slave ; menial

68

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

Khuza isaga

isiKhwe6u

uKhwekhwe Iwezinyawo

uKUBe

iKlolodo

iLangaBi
uLaza
umLaza
uSuLongwe

iLongwe

give a war-cry ; raise difficulties
mealie cob and the corn thereon
scale (on feet)
eagle

large mongoose with a white
bushy tail and grey skin

L

flame

cream

whey of thick, sour-milk

dung of large animals, such as

cow, ox, buffalo, etc.
piece of dry dung used for fuel

iLulwane (isihlwithandleSe) bat

uLwandle
uLembu

uMahambanendlwana

umMango

uMakhelwane

iMaphti

iMbaBala

umMbankwa (uqhothetshe-

ni, isiBankwa
iMbodla
iMbongolo
iMbungulu
iMbuzi
iMfene
iMfengwane (some Natives

call it " impempe " or

" inDweBa ")
uMiyane

sea
spiderweb

M

bagworm

steep incline ; steep slope

neighbour

map

female bush-buck

lizard

wild-cat

ass

bug

goat

baboon

police whistle

mosquito

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

69

isiMo somhlaba

uModa

uMoyawezwe

iMpala

iMpartgele

iMpisi

iMpofu

iMpongo

iMpumalanga

iMpumputhe

iMpungushe

iMpunzi

iMvu

iMvu yamanzi

isiNana

iNcwadi yamaMaphu

iNcwadi yocingo

iNdiBilishi

iNdima

iNdlela

iNdlovu

iN dlovundwane (iNdlovu-

dayana)
iN dlulamithi
iNdluzule
iNdwa
umNenke
isiNgamoya
umNgenda

geography

sugar-cane

climate

gazelle ; impala ; antelope

guinea-fowl

hyena

eland

billy-goat

east

blind person

fox or jackal

duiker

meal of any kind

sheep

seal

N

plat ana toad

atlas

telegram

copper ; penny

middle-sized plot of ground for
cultivation ; a portion of
work set for anyone to per-
form

route ; foot or bridle-path

elephant

wart-hog ; long-tusked bush -
swine

giraffe

hartebeest

blue crane

snail

breeze

tributary

70

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

iNgide

umNgoma

uNgqoqwane (isiThwathwa)

iNgulule

iNgungumbane

iNgwaBaBana

iNgwe

iNhlangano

iNhlangwane

iNhlanzi

iNhlwaBusi (inkulungwane)

iNhlwathi (imvundama)

iNingizimu

iNja

iNjundu

iNkaBazwe

iNkalankala

iNkangala

iNkasa
iNkatha

iNkawu
umNkenke

iNkontazi

iNkonjane

uNkonka

iNkonkoni

iNkonyane

iNkuku

iNkulamandla

padlock

witch-doctor

frost

cheetah

porcupine

crow (ordinary)

leopard

junction

night-adder

fish

winged termite

python

south-west

dog

blunt knife

equator

crab

open elevated country,
where there are no trees

young hoppers ; young locusts

coil ; pad made of grass or
other soft substance, circular
in shape, used for the purpose
of placing on the head to
support what one carries

monkey

crack, as is often found in the
soles of the feet of Natives

cow

swallow

male bush-buck

wildebeeste

calf

fowl (domestic)

slug

i.e.,

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

iNkume
iNkundla

iNkungu

iNkunzi

iNkunzi yenGuluBe

isiNkwa

isiNkwe

uNogolantethe

uNogwaja

uNohhemu

uNomtheBe (uqumbu)

iNqama

iNqe

iNqola

iNsele

iNsephe

iNswempe

iNtaBa

iNtandane

iNtenesha

iNtethe

iNtinginono

iNtonldolo

iNtothoviyane

iNtshe

iNtshonalanga

iNtuthwane

iNtwala

uNwaBu

iNxala

centipede

spot where men meet for dis-
cussion of matters or the
trying of cases

mist

bull

boar

bread

bush-baby

stork

hare

crested crane

termite queen

ram (sheep)

vulture

wagon

ratel ; an animal that eats
honey

springbok

partridge

mountain

orphan

hare (red)

grasshopper

secretary bird

kapater ; castrated goat ;
wether (sheep or goat)

large, greenish-yellow, nasty-
smelling locust

ostrich

west

ant (red, small) (generic term)

louse

chameleon

rhebuck

72

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

iNxemu

iNxiwa

iNyakatho

iNyamazane

iNyandezulu

iNyathi

iNyoka

iNyosi

umNyovu

uPhapke

iPhela

uPhenyane

isiPhepho

iPigogo

iPhithi

iPhiva

isiPhunzi

iPhuphu

imPophoma

squint-eyed person

kraal-site

north-east

antelope

pure green

buffalo

snake

bee

hornet ; wasp

P

feather

cockroach

head sores of fowl

storm

peacock

blue-buck

water-buck

stump of a tree

young of birds

waterfall

imamba " snake

i Qanda
i Qaqa
Qatha

Qatha
Qhatha

i Qhina
isi Qhingi
i Qhude

egg

polecat

stout, strong, substantial ; stout

in make, such as a stout stick
break up new soil in ploughing

or hoeing
set one against another ; to set

on one person or animal to

fight another
steenbuck
island
cock

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

i Qhwa elikhitikile
isi Qinti
isi Qophamuthi
isi Qunga

snow

plot ; piece of land

woodpecker

tambootie-grass

73

iSaka6uli

uSeBe

iShantshihhovisi

isiShimeyana

uShoBishoBi

iShisandlu

amaSi

iSiliva

iSilo

inSimu

iShongololo (isongololo)

umSundu

uSungulo

black long-tailed kaffir-finch,

widow-bird
shore

charge office
very strong intoxicating drink,

made of treacle
tadpole
north-west
sour-milk
silver
leopard

garden ; cultivated land
millipede
cut-grub
awl

iThafa

umThakathi

iThanga

iThanga

iziThekeliso

imiThekelo

iziThelo

iTheku

iThendele

uThekwane

plain ; flat country ; open

country
wizard, witch
thigh
pumpkin
exports
imports
fruits

seaport, bay, harbour
partridge
mudlark ; the hammer-kop or

hammer-head bird

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

umThimba

uThingo Iwenkosazana

uThingo Iwenkosikazi

iThini

umThini

umThofu

imiThombo

iThusi

Thutha

isiThwalambiza

iThweBa

iTitihhoye

iTsheketshe

iTshwele (itswele)

bridal party
rainbow

tin

otter

lead

malt ; sprouted kaffircorn for

making beer
brass
transport
mantis
bay
plover
red ant
young chicken, fledgling

isi Vande

u Vemvane
urn Vemve
i Vondwe
ama Vovo

i Vovo
i Viikuthu

im Vukuzane (i Vukusi]
im VuBu

isiWa

amaWele

iWisa

iWuBa

iWula

small mealie garden planted
early in season

butterfly

wagtail (bird)

cane-rat

sediment remains of beer, beer
strainings

beer-strainer

large speckled pigeon or rock-
pigeon

mole

hippopotamus

W

precipice
twins

knobkerrie
hill side ; slope
oribi

A Guide for the Zulu Court Interpreter

75

uXamu

iXhaphozi

iXhwele

iXoxo (iDwi)
isiXulamasele

iguana, monitor lizard

swamp

person who is much given to
and is a slave to anything,
such as a great snuffer,
smoker, etc.

frog

stilt heron

iZa

isiZa

isiZalo

uZankosi

iZeze (iZenze)

isiZiBa

iZiBuko

umZiki

utnZila

iZinyane

amaZolo

iZulu

iZwamoya

iZwe

iZwekazi

yellow rhebuck

building-site ; kraal-site

mouth of a river

handcuff

flea

pond ; deep pool of water

ford, drift, or harbour

reedbuck (rietbok)

broad track, such as might be

made by game or cattle
young of an animal of the

smaller class, as the goat
dew

weather
barometer
country
continent

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